Adding Water Tank Question-- Can I do it without a pump?

[BBZ]

Hey All
I would like to add a small water tank for fresh water, 10-12 gallons.

I would prefer to keep it as simple as possible. Anyone add one without a pump? I am curious if a gravity system would work well or not.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Beach]

Gravity feed is great if you don't need to get the water up to a cabinet mounted sink, if did you would need to mount the tank high off the floor which will affect camper CG negatively. If you mount the tank low you could use a manual lever pump faucet which would keep things simple.

 

[rando]

Silly question -how would you get the water out and where do you want to use the water?

If you are going to do a gravity feed system, it needs to be above where ever you want to use the water. This means if you want to use the water inside the camper, you need to mount it up high so you can get a pot/water bottle/hands under the spigot, which means all that weight is up high and you need a well built support for the tank.

If you don't have an electrical system, either a hand powered pump, or just using 5-7 gal water jugs with spigots that you store down low and set on the counter to use seems like a simple solution.

 

[pvstoy]

You could use a bulb pump like you see on fuel cans on boat outboard motors for fuel. Put it on the floor and use your foot to pump water for hands free.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

You could use a bulb pump like you see on fuel cans on boat outboard motors for fuel. Put it on the floor and use your foot to pump water for hands free.

Whale makes a galley foot pump for boats that works great.

https://www.ecmarinesupply.com/products/whale-babyfoot-manual-galley-foot-operated-pump?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=45712778058

 

[pvstoy]

Looks good. I was thinking basic as this.
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[Stokeme]

Are you familiar with the “Solar Shower”? I will at least attempt to mimic that concept, for a similar size interior water tank/sink combo, when I get my Shell this Spring. Use a bike pump or something manually similar to keep the system pressurized as needed. It is just a intriguing thought right now. I plan to install my own diy exterior version to use as a solar shower. Plenty of diy videos on YouTube for Shower.

 

[BILL98388]

Grandby shell on Tundra long bed, 12v. but no water system here.

Keep it simple: 1 gallon jugs are easy to handle, can be stored in the bed, accessible through the turnbuckle access, and are cheaper than most other options.

Bill

 

[Alley-Kat]

I carry 2.5 gallon water jugs under my camper seats and lift them to the counter top when needed. Cheap to buy, always new, without that old water tank smell or taste, and I can get them at any large food store for right around $1 to $2 each. Recycle the empty plastic jugs when I get home. Simple.

Or,you can get slightly more complicated.

Air pressurize the water tank.

There are many ways to air pressurized the water tank. You can push the water anywhere with air pressure. Thus the ability to keep the water weight low in the camper.and avoids the negative weight aspect of permanently high mounted water tank for gravity feeding your needs.

I use a Zodi Extreme, outside the camper, on the ground, with camper through wall plumbing for my inside shower. With as little as 25-30 psi of air it pushes the water all the way to top of the inside of the camper where I have my shower head.

I've got a small air compressor (now using Ryobi cordless, instead of a Vair with 12VDC from the my larger camper or truck battery). That unit pressurizes my 1 gallon air tank to 100 psi with a regulator that outputs the air at 25-30 psi to the water tank. I can empty the entire Zodi Extreme 2.5 gallons of water on one tank of air. Nice when I travel alone, I don't have to keep pumping up the Zodi to get a good shower.

A smaller, simpler set up would be just the Zodi Extreme and use the included hand pump (like a bug sprayer) to pressurize the water tank, or any of the other makes of bug sprayer type shower water tanks. There could even be a way to hook up the hand air pump or even an air foot pump to your regular water tank.

Here's mine. Propane under the Zodi to heat my shower water.

And, my air compressor, air tank, plus hose can be used for other functions, filling tires, cleaning truck parts and camper door of dust, etc.
Additionally, the Zodi is also doing double duty as another water tank, beyond the 2.5 gallon plastic jugs that I carry.

 

[Squatch]

X2 on the 2.5 gallon cubes.

 

[klahanie]

I would like to add a small water tank for fresh water, 10-12 gallons.

I would prefer to keep it as simple as possible. Anyone add one without a pump? I am curious if a gravity system would work well or not.

I could see it working if the outlet was plumbed to outside the camper The tank could then be on the floor, and plumbed out the sidewall, if there sufficient space, to an elbow then a hose with a cap run to the rear, tucked in around the tail light area. Or perhaps plumbed directly to a rear wall to a spigot (less simple). Simpler would be a hose running out a turnbuckle door or even the main door, as needed.

The tank will drain better if equipped with a breather.

I suppose you could back fill the tank with a supply under pressure (I'd want a fast shut off) or with gravity using an extension hose and funnel. This would keep any spills outside the camper.

ON EDIT I relocated our original tank from indie the camper to outside. We have a flatbed type deck and the tank sits alongside the camper. No pump used just a simple hose drain.

 

[Wallowa]

Interesting suggestions for alternative to the FWC pump system...but why? After all the unique proposals what is really gained over the FWC use of a pump? Certainly not too much current and battery draw down? Kinda of "if it is not broken"......

But I could be wrong and I do like KISS approaches.

Phil

 

[Taku]

We use 2.5 or 5 gallon jugs on the counter. Have also used a Whale pump fitted on the jugs which works if you want to leave the 5 gln on the floor. Never have seen the need for a powered water system since we use the camper in low temps - don't want to mess with trying to keep it from freezing.

 

[Wallowa]

I get it....still trying to use my Hawk in near [+ or -] zero temps....while trying to valve and isolate the lines that could freeze; but I agree if it is cold enough, long enough the FWC water system is vulnerable to freezing...especially as previously mentioned, when you are driving in sub-zero temps and can't use the furnace or hot-water heater.....


We use 2.5 or 5 gallon jugs on the counter. Have also used a Whale pump fitted on the jugs which works if you want to leave the 5 gln on the floor. Never have seen the need for a powered water system since we use the camper in low temps - don't want to mess with trying to keep it from freezing.


Anyway, having a functioning sink [and 26 gallons of internal water storage on-board] is golden for us and our current draw with dual batteries and solar allows for almost unlimited static camping off-road....with option of starting truck to bring the batteries back up during snow events or cloudy days...and 90+% of our use of the Hawk occurs when water system freezing is not and issue..

Good discussion and appreciate the ideas...trade-offs to be sure...

Phil

 

[BBZ]

Mine currently has no water system. I don't mind the 2.5 or 5 gallon jugs, however, it would be nice to not have to move them everytime I want to get in the camper. I would like something that is simple, yet practical. Also, if I added a 10 gallon and carried another 5, I could probably last 5 days off the grid.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Keep them coming!